Bye caramel

A sad day. Caramel, Michaela’s guinea pig, fell ill yesterday and passed away last night. Was it a cold or something else? We have no idea. She was healthy one minute and then sick the next. Michaela is very upset and today we will schedule a burial and say Goodbye.  Caramel was with us such a short time but she crept into our hearts.   Her two babies are doing okay but they will have to grow up without her now.

The fox and the chicken

Yesterday I was right on the money when I said there was a fox by the chicken run.  When the sun rose, I went down to open up the chicken run and low and behold there were feathers everywhere. Spot must have interrupted him and of course my trip down to make sure everything was good, sent him on his way. He got away with one bird. I guess he’s hungry now that it’s winter too. Well I have battened down the fort good and solid last night and I know the girls will be safe.   They won’t be able to go about as they please for a while, nor have the freedom they are used to, but it’s for their own good. This mother hen knows.

Foxes

It’s getting colder still. This morning as the boys left for work, Johnny called out that there was ice on the windows. I believed him but there was no way I’d be going out there to validate his comment. Turn up the heat please. After getting the fire going, spot started barking.  Barking that can only mean a snake or a fox.   All good snakes should be sleeping right now so it had to be a fox. I pulled my gown a little tighter and swopped my slippers for gum boots. I had to go check the chicken run was closed up tight. I couldn’t bear to wake up in the morning to dead chooks. Satisfied that they were safe enough, I quickly retreated inside from the dark and cold. I added another log to the fire.

Interuptions

Part of our life these days is largely taken up by interruptions.   People popping in for a visit, guests arriving to stay or leaving for the day.   Animals arriving or departing whether to a land beyond or  just boarding with a bull for a few weeks.  People coming or going, children on holidays, Johnny at home for a few hours or days.  I’ve had to adapt or sink during these interruptions.  I used to be quite a stickler for routines but Pine Haven has changed us all in little ways.   I must admit though the few hours I’m alone is bliss!   I love the interruptions that take place on a daily basis but it’s always good to be on my own again.   The serenity of total silence.   No TV’s blaring, radios playing,  just the birds in the trees and a nice quiet house.  

Painting has begun

Sunday afternoon was nothing a Sunday afternoon should be.  It was filled with paintbrushes and gapfiller.   It took me up yonder onto the scary heights of the roof.  Yes, folks the painting has begun.  The gunmetal grey slopped onto the new roof boards and the paint was sucked in.   The skies were grey too, some clouds looking very angry and whispering some rain was coming.   I found myself hoping the rain wouldn’t come before our coat of pain was dry.  It would be a disaster if the heavens opened.   Not only would our hard work be in vain but the paint would wash into the gutters and down into the rain water tanks contaminating all of our water.   It was a risk to pull out the paint tray but the clouds were high and the wind was gently blowing.   It was a risk worth taking.

Eye troubles

 Caramels baby has an infection in one eye. Michaela woke up a few mornings ago to find the hair completely covering the eye. We bathed it in warm water which was not received to well. The baby guinea pig squirmed and squealed in distaste. His eye appeared blue and I worried that he was  going blind. Michaela persevered and cleaned his eye daily for a few days and this morning his eye is fine. The cloudy blue in the centre is replaced now with a bright clear eye. I think we caught the infection in time. It could have been a stray hair or it could have been a piece of wood shaving dust but at least whatever it was, its gone now.  I think this baby is a boy!